Walmart

The Network of Executive Women can help independents' management teams better reflect the changing consumer base.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. -- Wal-Mart is working to distinguish itself as the authority on Hispanic heritage, by selling educational products in stores and offering a new set of educators' tools online beginning today, the first official day of Hispanic Heritage Month.

One Piggly Wiggly operator reaches for premium cachet with a redesign, netting sales gains of 50 percent while retaining its established base.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. -- Leave it to Wal-Mart to have its own TV special just to teach advertisers how to spend money with it. Wal-Mart Stores will host the Wal-Mart TV 2006 Upfront presentation September 21, at its headquarters here. The retailer said that during the program, management from Wal-Mart, walmart.com, and industry experts will look at how an integrated communications program can enhance the brand building strategy of leading and emerging advertisers in today's retail and advertising landscape.

LONDON -- Wal-Mart's European retail chain ASDA plans to include an online photo shop offering digital prints. The new service, which will launch early next month, will be available online to every U.K. household with Internet access.

Compassion has poured forth from many in the retailing community in the past week, demonstrating the industry's eagerness to do what it can to help the victims of Hurricane Katrina.

NEW YORK -- The inaugural Hispanic Retail 360 Conference & Product Showcase, produced by the Retail Group of VNU Business Media and VNU Expositions, is expected to sell out, the show's organizers said yesterday. More than 140 executives representing grocery and other retail channels will be joined by some 200 consumer product manufacturers, ethnic food suppliers, and distributors, and service companies at the show, to be held Sept. 26-27 at the Wyndham Anatole Hotel in Dallas.

WILMINGTON, Del. -- Charlie Brown and his friends are returning to Wal-Mart stores nationwide for the second year with activity books, stickers, point of sale materials and recipes designed to make learning about and eating fruits and vegetables part of Halloween fun.